Corner of your heart
by LadyFromPoland
Summary: It's my first girl!Merlin/Arthur story. After one feast they spend a night together. Arthur is drunk but Merlin is sober. She's in love with her master. That night is going to have its consequences. Enjoy!
1. Feast and its consequences

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**Storyline: Merlin is a young witch whose destiny is to protect prince Arthur and help him to become the greatest king ever. After one feast they spend a night together. Arthur is drunk but Merlin is sober. She's in love with her master. That night is going to have its consequences.**

**The title of this story is a title of a beautiful song "Corner of your heart" by Ingrid Michaelson.**

**It's my first girl!Merlin/Arthur story.  
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**English is not my mother language.**

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**Just enjoy reading!**

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 1**

_**Feast and its consequences**_

Merlin was a young witch who was meant to protect prince Arthur. She had a position of his personal maidservant so she could take care of him most of the time.

The girl was quite pretty, though it was a strange kind of beauty. Her ears were way too big and protruding in her opinion. However she had light blue eyes and dark, long and a bit curly hair. Besides Merlin was skinny and taller than other women. In her village boys used to laugh at her. They had said that she was freak. Only William had been an exception.

Nevertheless, it all made her think that she was worse than the others. She even used to think that her skills had been a curse. Now she knew that her magic was a gift and that she had a great destiny. But it couldn't change her past and all that she'd been through in Ealdor.

Life taught Merlin one thing. She couldn't let any man insult her. She tried to keep men about her age at the distance. It was safer and less painful. That's why she'd been angry when she'd become Arthur's servant. The witch had never seen more arrogant prat. However as the Great Dragon had said, she couldn't choose her destiny.

The time showed that it wasn't so bad. The prince was a bit arrogant but not as much as she'd thought at the beginning. Besides he had a good heart and really cared for his people. Merlin knew that Arthur would become a great king one day and she secretly admired him. The truth was that it was more than simple a admiration. The young witch cared for the prat more than she wanted to, more than she should. Merlin couldn't really understand how and why it happened but she fell in love with him. It wasn't just a little crash, so known for girls about her age. The young woman really loved him and would do anything to protect him. She also knew that she wasn't supposed to have feelings for Arthur. He was a future king and he was meant to marry a nice noble lady, preferably a princess. The blonde couldn't have a romantic relationship with a peasant girl who, moreover, had magic powers. That was one of the reasons why Merlin had never admitted her feelings. The other reason was that she didn't want to break the friendship that she shared with Arthur. The girl knew that the prince liked her in some way, but she was far from thinking that he could love her as a woman.

The strangest thing was that she wasn't really unhappy. After all she could see Arthur every day of her life. It wasn't really that bad. Merlin could talk with him, joke with him and, what was the most important, she could protect him. The witch was happy when she knew that Arthur was safe. Her feelings helped her to watch over him more carefully. Maybe that was exactly the reason why she loved him. The love gave her strength to stand his arrogant nature, accept some flaws and see the better side of him.

However that evening Merlin regretted that she was Arthur's servant. It didn't mean that she really didn't want to be his maid. She only preferred not to serve him when there were feasts.

The prince drank too much. And it wasn't water. Although the witch hadn't wanted to pour him the next chalices with wine and ale, the prat had insisted. She couldn't have told him _no_, when there had been so many people around. Now she truly regretted that.

Merlin was shocked that she was able to bring prince Arthur back to his chambers without using her magic. It was a miracle and she was ready to demand the pay rise the next morning.

"Here we go, Sire," she said when she finally made him sit on his bed. "It was a long evening." In spite of the tiredness she was still able to be kind. "Now you should take the robes off and put that night clothes on." The girl put them on the bed, next to the prince.

Arthur acted a bit strange. He was quiet and Merlin thought that he didn't listen to her at all.

"Arthur!" She waved her hand in front of his face. He looked up at her. "Are you okay?"

The prince nodded and after a short while he added, "yes, I'm fine."

"That's good." The girl felt a relief. "I thought that you're deaf. That's all because of that alcohol!" She sighed. "You shouldn't have drunk that much." She looked at him carefully. "I don't really like when you're drunken," she admitted. "It's not the Arthur that I lo..." Merlin stopped herself in the right time. She hoped that the prince wouldn't remember that little detail in the morning. "I should go!"

The witch turned on her heel and wanted to make the first step when Arthur grabbed her arm, preventing it.

"Stay a while," he asked her.

Merlin looked at him, smiling sadly. "It's quite late," she said. "I should really go."

"Just wait until I go to bed," the prince told her.

The girl sighed. It was the second time that evening when she couldn't say _no_. However this time Arthur's pleading look was the reason. "Okay... But please... hurry up!" The prince smiled. "Don't even try to distract me by your bloody smile and change that clothes. Go, go!" She thought that talking about his smile wasn't a good idea, however she couldn't change her words. The drunken Arthur made her babble even more than usually.

The fair haired man stood up and slowly took his shirt for special occasions off. She glanced at his muscles, sighing lightly, and turned around. The girl wanted to see more of Arthur's body but she knew that it was too tempting.

"Have you finished?" she asked him after a while.

"Just a second," Arthur answered.

The witch didn't wait more than a minute and the prince spoke to her again. "Now you can have a look."

Merlin laughed mockingly. "As I've never seen you..." she said, turning around and her eyes widened.

Arthur Pendragon, the crown prince and the future king of Camelot, stood in front of her completely naked.

"Arthur!" She tried to look at his face but it really wasn't easy. It was the moment of truth for her will.

"What?" he asked. "Don't you like it?"

The girl blushed deeply. She didn't want to talk with him in that way.

"Put something on yourself, right now!" Merlin said firmly.

"You're not the person who can give me the orders," Arthur told her. Even alcohol didn't let him forget who was a royal there.

"Yes, I can!" She said. "You're drunk now and I'm your servant. I need to take care of you. And I'm telling you that you shouldn't stay here naked."

"Why not?" Arthur asked, smirking. "That's my chamber."

"Because I am here," she reminded him, as if he wasn't aware of that little detail.

"And?" The prince laughed. "I know that you like it."

"No, I don't," Merlin denied.

"You're a terrible liar, Merlin." Arthur smiled charmingly and made one step towards her.

"Arthur," she said pleadingly. "Please..."

But the blonde was already two inches away from her. She felt his hot breath that also smelled like alcohol. She also felt his cock. The girl wanted to believe that Arthur truly desired her but she couldn't forget about the wine and ale. It all was because of the alcohol.

"You're drunk..." she whispered weakly but it was already too late. The prince didn't listen to her arguments. He leant down and smelled her.

"You're shivering," he said in a very seductive way.

"That's your fault," Merlin said in trembling voice.

Arthur caressed her cheek and she dared to look into his eyes. They were light blue, like hers, but there was something strange in them. The witch knew that she would regret it later but she decided to yield. Merlin could easily use her magic and run away from prince's chamber. She could use her gift in the way that Arthur wouldn't have even noticed. But she didn't want to.

Merlin allowed Arthur to raise herself. She felt his muscles against her body. The dress that she wore was very thin. It was the middle of August after all.

The prince carried her to his bed and put her gently on the quilt. Then he started stripping his maidservant off.

Merlin's dress landed on the floor. Her breaths became short and fast. Then Arthur placed his hands on her underwear. After a while the rest of clothes landed on the dress.

The dark haired witch was naked as her master.

Arthur started caressing her breasts. It was a new sensation for Merlin. She had never supposed that the touch of prince's hands could be so amazing.

He kissed her and touched her. The witch wanted to remember every detail of that night. It was her first time and she shared it with the man that she truly loved. Merlin just couldn't think then about the consequences.

Finally the prince entered her. He was thrusting into the witch steadily but a bit too fast. Merlin wanted to enjoy that time, even though it brought her a little pain at first. Luckily, the pleasure was stronger, so she couldn't complain.

The witch felt her first climax in her whole life. It was indescribable. "Arthur... Arthur..." she moaned and the prince continued his thrusting.

Eventually he came too, filling Merlin up with his semen.

Arthur was very tired and he fell asleep almost immediately. He left the girl with her thoughts. She couldn't close her eyes. Besides she knew that she shouldn't stay in prince's bed. Nobody knew how Arthur would react in the morning.

Merlin slipped off the bed. She had tears in her eyes but she wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that she'd lost her innocence or the reason was that she was leaving Arthur's bed.

The witch looked at sleeping prince. He really looked lovely. Then she noticed a mark of her blood. She hesitated but eventually she decided to remove it from the shits. Merlin whispered a short spell and the blood disappeared.

Then she looked once again at Arthur, smiling lightly at him, and she went out of his chamber. Merlin didn't know what would happen in the morning. She decided to wait patiently and try to fall asleep despite everything. After all she would need some strength to face her prince later.

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**Review! I want to know what you think.**


	2. The morning

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**The next chapter! I hope you'll like it! I know that I'm cruel but... well... it has to be this way.

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 2**

_**The morning**_

The first sunbeams were shining through the window, falling on the young girl's face. She narrowed her forehead and after a while she opened her eyes. The witch blinked a few times and turned around in the bed.

Merlin had to think about the previous evening. She knew that it had been a craziness. She couldn't even be sure that Arthur remembered anything. If he hadn't, she didn't know what to do. It was a very delicate issue. On the other hand, the girl was afraid of facing the prince if he actually remembered.

"I'm really an idiot," she whisper to herself.

Eventually the witch came to the conclusion that she had to be brave. After all she had faced many threats for Arthur.

Merlin sighed and slid off her bed. She came up to the wardrobe, opened it and decided to wear the dress that she knew that the prince liked.

The girl came into Gaius' chamber. The old man was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him up, so she only took a piece of bread and some cheese and went outside.

The witch wanted to walk a while. The fresh air was all that she needed then. Merlin walked slowly, eating what she had. Just then the girl realised that she was very hungry. Eventually she took a seat on a small bench.

Merlin watched the world all around her, finishing her modest meal. Camelot looked so peaceful then. There were only few people within her sight. It wasn't so strange. There was still very early after all.

"What have I done?" she whispered to herself.

The witch sat like that, while the streets were becoming more and more crowded.

"Merlin!" Suddenly the girl heard her own name. She turned her head and noticed her friend Gwen.

The other woman came up to her and smiled.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking directly into Merlin's eyes.

"I'm... thinking," the witch admitted, flushing a bit.

"Here?" Gwen raised her eyebrow.

The prince's maidservant nodded slightly.

"Is something bothering you?" Morgana's servant asked. She was always worried about her friends and always willing to help.

The sorceress smiled a bit. She didn't want to bother the other girl. "No, Gwen... I'm completely fine."

"That's good," Guinevere said, though she didn't look convinced. "I'm sorry but I need to go to Morgana now." She hesitated. "Shouldn't you go to Arthur's chambers too?" she eventually asked.

"Maybe you're right." Merlin sighed. "Although he's going to be surprised. I never go to my job on time."

"There is always that first time," Gwen said, smiling.

The words _first time _touched the witch. However she didn't show it.

"You're probably right," Merlin said shyly. Then she stood up and followed her friend. She didn't have recently too many occasions to spend some time with Gwen. Now they could talk a few minutes.

oOoOo

Merlin went to the prince's chamber as quietly as her clumsiness let her. Arthur was still sleeping so she put the tray with his breakfast on a little table.

The witch was so nervous. She knew that she and Arthur had to have some conversation. However she didn't know how it would look like.

The girl came up to the window and drew the curtains**. **Then she opened the window to let some fresh air in. Merlin stood like that for a longer while, breathing in and out. It was perfect.

Eventually she heard some noises that Arthur usually made while waking up. The witch turned around to look at him. The man started moving and after a short moment he opened his eyes.

Arthur looked at his maid, then at the window and again at the girl. Finally he frowned. "It's early," he said.

"That's true," Merlin confirmed.

He sat up and looked at his breakfast. "I'm hungry," he admitted.

The girl wasn't sure if he remembered anything about the last night. There were two options. The man could have drunk too much to remember or he was just trying to avoid that topic for now. The only thing that Merlin could do was waiting.

In meantime the prince got up and sat on the chair in front of his meal. He started eating and the witch knew that it could last a while. Arthur never ate fast in the mornings.

The maidservant came up to the prince's wardrobe and started looking for his casual clothes. He didn't have the training with his knights before noon that day so he could do whatever he wanted for that hours.

The girl chose black trousers and Arthur's favourite blue shirt. That colour matched his beautiful eyes perfectly.

When the prince finished his breakfast, he grabbed the clothes that Merlin had put on his bed and disappeared behind the screen.

"How do I look?" he asked his maidservant.

She looked at him and narrowed her eyes.

"What?" Arthur looked at himself.

The girl came up to him and smoothed the fabric of his shirt. "Now it's better," she said.

"You're right," the prince admitted but he didn't say _thank you_. He never thanked.

Merlin sighed. She turned around, looking for something what she could do. The witch started making the bed.

"What do you want me to do today?" she asked the prince. However she didn't hear any reply. "Arthur?" The girl turned her head around to look at him and she noticed that he was very close to her.

The witch's heart beat faster.

"Merlin," he told her quietly. "I think that we need to talk." It sounded very serious.

"Me too," she said timidly.

"Sit down, please." Arthur pointed at his favourite armchair. The girl was amazed that he offered her it but she didn't complain and took a seat.

The prince was a bit nervous. "I want to talk to you about the last evening," he said.

"I thought so." Merlin looked up at him bravely.

Arthur cleared his throat. "You should know that it's not easy to say..." he started.

"I suppose so," the girl almost whispered.

"I hope that you'll understand," the prince continued. "The previous evening..." He hesitated for a short moment, looking for the right words. "It was a mistake," he finally spat it out.

Merlin felt a sudden pain in her chest, however she decided to listen. She saw that Arthur wanted to say something else.

"I'm sorry for everything." The man finally looked directly at his servant. "It shouldn't have happened." He sighed heavily. "It pains me to admit it but I shouldn't have done it to you. It was so unprincely."

The girl tried to stop shivering but she truly couldn't help it. She did everything not to weep in front of her master.

However Arthur didn't finish yet. "Merlin... I want you to know that my pride has suffered."

It was more than enough for the poor girl. She stood up immediately, not looking at Arthur, and stormed out of the room without any word.

"Merlin!" Arthur called her but it was hopeless. "Girls..." he murmured to himself.

oOoOo

The witch ran down the stairs. She wanted to hide somewhere where no one could find her. The girl just needed some time only to herself. She needed to think and face the truth.

Merlin had already known that the previous evening shouldn't have ended in that way. She understood that Arthur didn't like the things that had happened. The witch couldn't only stand the fact hat he had treated her as a slut.

"He said that his pride had suffered," she whispered to herself, crying, when she was safe and hidden in her bedroom.

Merlin was only glad that Gaius had already gone to his patients. She didn't have to answer the awkward questions. It could be humiliating and she felt humiliated enough.

"His pride..." the witch murmured. "His bloody pride!" She couldn't help shouting.

The girl got up from her bad and started kicking everything all around her. She threw her clothes away of the wardrobe. She just needed to get rid of her anger and the pain that she felt.

"Pride! Pride! Pride!"

Finally Merlin fell down on the floor. She lay there for a while, thinking about everything that had happened. Arthur had hurt her deeply. Actually he had broken witch's heart. The girl had magic and she could hurt the prince too. The point was that she didn't want to. The point was that Merlin loved him anyway.

The girl sat up and looked around her bedroom. She saw the mess that she'd made.

Merlin stood up slowly and fix everything with the help of her magic. When she finished, she took a decision. Arthur still needed her. He could be a prat, even a bastard, but she didn't want him to get hurt.

"I'll hide my own pride and stay here," she whispered to herself. "He hasn't sacked me so I'll still be his servant."

The witch wiped her tears and decided to come back to her chores.

oOoOo

Merlin slid into Arthur's room.

"So you decided to attend to your chores," the prince said arrogantly, looking at her.

She looked away. The tears appeared in her eyes and she had to use all her power not to let them fall. "That's my duty," the girl said after a while.

"Good," he told her shortly. "Prepare my armour. I'm going to have a training session with my knights in two hours.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin bowed lightly and went out to do as she was said.

The witch decided to protect Arthur. However he had hurt her too deeply to forget it that easily. She knew that one day she would forgive him but the wounds took long time to heal.

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**And what do you think? You know what to do to let me know!**


	3. Little goodbyes

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**Okay... so it's time for the next chapter. I know you're going to hate me after this one but you really need to trust me. I've got the whole story in my head and it's the way the things have to go now.

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 3**

_**Little goodbyes**_

Three months later Merlin's heart was still wounded and broken. Moreover she didn't feel well physically. At first the girl thought that it all was because of the cold and windy autumn and the lack of sun. However she slowly started doubting it.

The witch woke up early and she was sick. Gaius watched her very carefully and at the very beginning he didn't care too much but in time he started to worry about his ward.

One day the old man decided that he couldn't wait any longer and he had to talk honestly with Merlin. He chose the evening, when the girl felt quite good.

"We need to talk," he said seriously, when they finished their supper.

The young woman looked down but she nodded lightly. "I think you're right," she whispered.

"Your mother had sent you here because she was worried about you," he started.

"I know Gaius."

"Let me finish," the physician asked her. "I've been meant to take care of you. And as you probably know it's not easy." He smiled a bit. "I've already told you that you are for me like a daughter that I've never had. I love you as parents love their children." Gaius sighed heavily. "You need to know that I will never be judging you. No matter what..."

Merlin started crying, so the old man touched her hand comfortingly.

"I don't want to see your tears," he told her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "But I can't help it."

Gaius decided to come to the conclusion quickly. "I've noticed that for last weeks you haven't been fine. You're paler than before and you're sick almost every day." He cleared his throat. "I want you to be honest with me," he said. "I don't want to insult you with that question but I need to ask it."

The witch dared to look at him. "Go on, Gaius," she whispered.

It really wasn't easy for that old man. However he had no choice. "Have you had period recently?" he finally asked.

Merlin started to shiver. The tears ran down her cheeks and they looked as two streams. It took her a while before she was able to say something. "No," the witch eventually whispered.

"Can you be pregnant?" Gaius had to ask her the other question. He knew that it was cruel but he also felt that everything had to be clear for once.

The girl was only able to nod.

"We'll make sure," the physician told her.

He came up to his ward and hugged the poor girl. The old man caressed her hair and for the first time for three months she felt loved.

Gaius led Merlin to her bedroom and made her lie in the bed.

"Won't you ask who can be a father?" she asked.

"You'll tell me when and if you want to," he said quietly. "Now you should take some rest. If you're truly pregnant you need to rest more than before." Gaius placed a light kiss on girl's forehead. "We'll talk in the morning."

Then he stood up from the edge of her bed and made a few steps towards the door. When he opened the door and was ready to go out, Merlin spoke out.

"It's Arthur," she whispered timidly.

Gaius stood in the door for a few seconds. He closed his eyes and sighed. Just then he disappeared in his own room.

oOoOo

In the morning Gaius waited for his ward with the cup of special potion.

"It should help you," he said when the girl came into his room.

She sat on the chair and smiled at his mentor. "Thank you, Gaius," Merlin said quietly. She still felt uneasy.

"Merlin..." the old man started. "If you don't mind, I think that we should check..." He looked at her carefully. "Are you ready to face the truth?"

The girl nodded lightly. "I think I have no choice," she murmured.

"Then come with me."

Gaius examined her stomach. He was very gentle so it wasn't so unpleasant to Merlin. After that examination the man asked the girl to urinate into the basin. He had to test it. Then she went to attend to her chores. That day was one of the hardest of her life. She had to wait for the results of the test until the evening.

Arthur was quite nice towards her that day and it was the worst. She could stand his arrogant nature and painful words. It all seemed to be normal and she got used to it. However when he was nice and charming, she was afraid. The girl didn't know what she should expect from him.

"Merlin," the prince turned his attention to her.

"Yes?" She asked, trying to be indifferent.

"Could you be so nice and go to Morgana?" Arthur smiled at her lightly. "Ask her if she would talk with me later."

"Of course," Merlin said shortly. She turned on her heal and was about to make the first step when the prince stopped her.

"And Merlin..."

The girl rolled her eyes and turned around to look at him.

"Tell her that I am eager for that conversation," he added.

"Yes, Sire." Then she walked away quickly. It still pained her to look at Arthur every day and make her chores.

oOoOo

Merlin came into Gaius' quarter quietly. Now she was going to face the truth, though she was almost sure that she was pregnant.

"Gaius?" the girl asked.

The man looked up at her and told her to take a seat. The witch came up to the table, shaking. It seemed to be an eternity. When she sat down, she dared to look into his mentor's eyes. They were calm and full of parental love, as always.

"Tell me," she begged him. "Please..."

"Merlin..." The old man sighed. "You need to know that you'll always have a friend in me. No matter what. You'll always be like a daughter that I never had and that I'll love you until the day I die."

The tears ran down girl's cheeks. "Does it mean...?" she asked.

"Yes," Gaius sad sadly. "You're going to have a baby."

Then he came up to her and hugged her tightly. "That's okay," he whispered. "Everything is fine."

They both sat down on the physician's bed. It was more comfortable.

"What am I going to do now?" Merlin asked him.

"Maybe you should tell Arthur..." The old man suggested.

"No!" The girl shook her head. "I can't!"

"Why can't you?" Gaius asked her softly. "He's going to be a father."

"You don't understand!" She said, crying.

"Then let me understand."

The witch straightened herself up. "Arthur..." Her voice cracked. "He said that it had been a mistake... he said that it shouldn't have happened..." It pained her even more when she was saying it out loud. "But the worst thing was... he just said that his pride had suffered! Do you understand it?" She was trembling. "His pride... He must have felt disgusted... The prince and the peasant!"

"I see..." Gaius caressed her hair and kissed her forehead. "But you know... he'll eventually find out... when your belly grows and when the baby is born, he'll notice it."

"I know..." the girl whispered. "But... What should I do then?"

The old man thought a while. "I can see only one solution," he said finally.

"What is it?" she asked weakly.

"You need to leave Camelot. And you need to do it as soon as possible," Gaius told her sadly.

Merlin swallowed hard. "But how can I do this? How can I leave that castle? That place?" She asked softly. "Arthur will not survive without me..."

"So you still care for him deeply..." The old man said more to himself than to her.

"Yes," she said shortly. "He hurt me but... I still... I..." The other tears ran down her pale cheeks.

"You love him." Gaius helped her. He had been suspecting it for months but he had never dared to ask her directly.

"I do." The girl confirmed timidly. "I don't want to see him dead or something. I need to protect him. It's my destiny."

"I'm sorry, Merlin, but you cannot stay here and keep the truth from Arthur. It's impossible." He looked at the witch carefully. "I think that you should come back to Ealdor."

Merlin gasped at his words.

"You should." Gaius smiled at her sympathetically. "Your mother will take care of you. She loves you."

"But what with Arthur...?" she asked him.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything here in Camelot," the old man assured her. "If something is wrong, I'll inform you."

"And if I don't come back in time?" The girl was truly worried.

"You will." He smiled at her. "I know you will. Besides Arthur managed to live without you for twenty years."

Merlin remained silent for a very long while, thinking.

"Okay Gaius, I'll do this," she finally said.

oOoOo

Merlin went to Arthur's chambers the next day, knowing that she had to say goodbye to him and tell him the reason why she had to leave Camelot so quickly.

She brought a delicious breakfast to the prince and waited until he finished. Then she started to speak.

"I need to tell you something."

Arthur looked at her carefully. "What's wrong, Merlin?" he asked quietly.

"My mother is ill," she lied.

"Ohh..." The prince really seemed to be worried. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know any details. Yesterday I got a short note from Ealdor." She dared to look into his eyes. "She needs me."

The fair haired man watched her very carefully. Something changed in him.

"I need to go to her," Merlin told him weakly as if it wasn't obvious.

"I understand," Arthur said shortly. "When are you going to leave Camelot?"

"Today... Actually I came here to say goodbye to you."

The prince took a deep breath and nodded lightly. "Of course."

The atmosphere between them became very awkward. The girl wondered what else she should say.

"I'm happy that I could be your servant." The girl hesitated. "That time... there were different moments. But I'm generally glad that I met you." She hoped that he understood that she'd forgiven him. "It's really been a honour."

"But you'll come back, won't you?" Arthur asked her suddenly. It made her feel strange. His voice sounded as if he really waited for a _yes _as answer. It seemed that he really wanted her to come back to Camelot. She couldn't tell him that she wouldn't. Not in such a situation.

"I will," she said.

"When?" The prince asked quietly. He wanted it to sound indifferently.

Merlin took a deep breath. "I'm not sure... I probably will not be back until spring." She blinked a few times.

"Why does it have to last so long?"

"Because of the winter," the girl told him. "It's not safe to travel when there's lots of snow all round. I can lose my way or something..."

"You're right." The fair haired man nodded lightly. "I know how clumsy and scatterbrained you can be." He smiled a bit.

"That's true." The young witch couldn't help smiling too. "Then..." She cleared her throat. "I think that's it. You'll have to find a new servant but not a..."

"Bootlicker," Arthur finished. "Yes, I know. You would kill me if I chose someone like that."

They looked at each other in complete silence. None of them knew if they should say something else or not.

"I think that's time for me." Merlin looked at him shyly.

"Wait!" The prince stopped her. "I want you to know that I'm happy that you were my servant... that you will be..."

"Goodbye, Arthur," she said quietly.

"Goodbye," the man muttered.

They looked at each other last time and then the witch walked out of prince's chamber.

oOoOo

"Take care of yourself," Gaius told the young girl, hugging her.

She was packed and ready for her journey.

"I will," Merlin promised. "And thank you. You're my mentor and protector."

They both were really touched.

"I don't like saying goodbyes," the old man admitted, trying to hide the one tear that ran down his cheek.

"Me too," the witch whispered, kissing Gaius on the cheek. "However I need to tell you goodbye now."

"Goodbye."

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**Maybe I don't deserve reviews but I'd like to read them anyway. ;)**


	4. Ealdor

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**That chapter is not my best, I know, but it's needed. I'll try to redress it by updating the next chapter in a few days. I've got a long weekend now, by the way. :)

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 4**

_**Ealdor**_

Merlin was walking slowly towards the village. She had to sleep in the forest but she wasn't afraid of it. After all she had her magic that protected her. Unfortunately it couldn't help her with Arthur. She would always remember him. She was going to watch half of him every day in their child. It really scared the witch.

The young girl woke up very early in the next morning. She still had a long way ahead.

The day was quite cold but Merlin didn't care. She wore quite warm clothes and her magic also warmed her up. The sorceress thought all the time about the things that she'd left behind in Camelot. It felt strange. She'd lived in the castle so long and she had her aim and destiny. Now she was so confused. Moreover she didn't know what people in Ealdor would say. Merlin's mother would understand. She had brought her up without a husband. However the girl wasn't sure what the inhabitants of the village had talked and thought about her mother. But it didn't matter. The girl would stand everything.

The sun was slowly coming down when the young witche reached Ealdor. The village looked still the same. That kinds of places changed slowly, if they changed at all.

Merlin thought about the day when she had left her home and come to the Camelot. Then she thought about the day when she had come back with her friends to save the village. Arthur had been with her then. She couldn't believe that it really had happened. Now it seemed to be a dream. But it couldn't have been. The girl had lost her friend Will then. Now she had to live again in Ealdor, but this time there wasn't her old friend with her. Her child wouldn't see him.

"He would be a great uncle," she whispered to herself sadly.

The people in the village were surprised when they saw Merlin. They started whispering behind her back but she didn't care. All that she wanted then was to see her mother and hug her tight. The witch need her more than ever.

Finally she stood in front of the door of her mother's cottage. The girl hesitated. She wasn't sure if she could just come inside or if it was more proper to knock first. Eventually Merlin decided to went slowly inside. She still remembered as Hunith had told her that this house would have always been her home. No matter what.

Merlin did her best to move quietly. She found her mother in the kitchen. The woman was preparing supper and surely didn't notice the presence of the other person.

The witch cleared her throat.

"Marianne, is that you?" Hunith asked. Marianne was their neighbour. She was a bit younger than Merlin and she liked witch's mother and helped her sometimes.

"No, mother," Merlin said weakly.

The sorceress' mother turned around immediately.

"My daughter!" She cried and hugged the girl. "My child..."

Merlin clung to her. She felt comfortable for the first for a long time.

When Hunith finally let go of her daughter, she let her take a seat. The woman watched the young girl for a while, not knowing what to say.

"I'd like to drink something," the witch whispered a bit timidly.

Hunith turned around and gave a cup of tea to her daughter. Merlin drank it slowly, not looking at her mother. She knew that she was going to hear lots of questions soon.

"I'm glad that you came here to your old mother..." Hunith spoke suddenly.

"Mother!" Merlin groaned. "You are not old."

The woman smiled at her daughter fondly. "You're sweet when you say that, but I'm getting older and older with every day." She sighed lightly. "But I didn't want to talk about my age. So... I'm glad that you're here but... I'm also worried."

The girl looked down, avoiding eye contact with her mother.

"Merlin... Tell me what's happened," Hunith asked. "Because I can see that there's something wrong. It's not only the fact that you're here in Ealdor. You have sadness written on your nice face."

Merlin smiled sadly. "You're right mother," she whispered. "There is something."

"Don't be afraid," the witch's mother told her. "I'm not going to judge you. I love you... You're my child."

"I've been so stupid!" the sorceress cried abruptly. "So, so stupid!"

Hunith didn't say anything, waiting for her daughter to open up. She knew Merlin very well. Any words couldn't help now.

"I... I am pregnant," the girl whispered and started sobbing.

Hunith put her hand on Merlin's, comforting the girl. "It's Arthur, isn't it?" she asked, though it sounded more as a statement than question.

The witch looked up at her mother. Her eyes were red and puffy. But she couldn't believe. "How do you know?" she asked quietly.

"I've always known," Hunith assured her. "I've seen your feelings for Arthur from the very beginning. You are so close."

"We used to be," Merlin said bitterly. "But we're not longer."

"Then what happened?" Hunith wanted to know the truth.

"One night... after some feast... he had drunk too much and then... I don't want to tell you the details."

"You don't have to," the woman said quietly.

"In the morning he had told me that it'd been a mistake," she whispered, sobbing. "He'd said that his honour had suffered!" The girl buried her head in her hands. All the memories came back to her and it hurt too much.

Hunith hugged her daughter tightly.

"It's unbelievable," she said.

"But it's true." Merlin calmed down a bit. "Now you understand why I didn't tell him about the child and the true reason why I was going to leave Camelot. I had to."

"Maybe if you told him..." Hunith started.

"No! I cannot use my child to make him mine!" The girl shook her head. "What kind of mother would I be?" she asked.

"But you love him," mother reminded her.

"But he doesn't love me back," the witch said sadly.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Mother!" Merlin sighed heavily. "You heard what he'd told me. The person who loves someone doesn't say such a things to them."

"Maybe it's just a misunderstanding?" Hunith suggested.

"Misunderstanding?" The girl couldn't believe. "How could it be a misunderstanding? He treated me as... as... you know what."

"I still can't believe that," the woman admitted.

"Nor me." Merlin bit her bottom lip. "My destiny is lost... I'm going to raise my child without a father... My heart is broken... Could it be any worse?"

Hunith couldn't allow her daughter to keep on thinking this way. "You've still got me," she said. "I'll help you, though I think that you should have talked with Arthur first. By the way... What did you tell him before you left Camelot?"

"That you're ill and I have to look after you... And that I won't be back till spring because of the winter... I had to lie to him."

"You're not going to come back in spring, are you? What then?" Hunith asked.

"He'll forget about me until spring."

"Don't say that!" Hunith looked at the girl very carefully. "He will not forget."

"He will find another servant. Perfect servant." Merlin smiled sadly. "He doesn't know that I always helped him. Now he'll have to cope with the troubles on his own. I'm worried about him... but it doesn't change the fact that he's not going to miss me."

The sorceress' mother didn't say anything. She just knew that it wasn't a truth. However Merlin couldn't believe her now. The young girl needed more time.

oOoOo

It had been more than a month since Merlin came back to Ealdor. She started getting used to the new situation. The neighbours were surprised seeing her in the village. They asked the girl about the reason but she didn't tell them anything. They would see her belly soon anyway.

"I've prepared something special to eat," Hunith said, sitting by her daughter side. "It's Christmas."

The girl smiled weakly. "What is it?"

"You'll see in a moment." The woman kissed Merlin on a cheek.

"I love you, mother," the sorceress said quietly. "I don't know what I would do without you." She touched her stomach and massaged it lightly.

"I love you too." Hunith caressed her cheek. "And my grandchild." She looked at her daughter's belly. "I feel deep inside that everything is going to be alright. You'll see..."

Merlin wanted to believe her mother. But it was not easy.

"Now you need to eat something, come on." Hunith smiled at the girl. "My grandchild needs strength."

"Grandchild?" The witch frowned. "And what about me?" she asked, winking.

"You too," the mother assured her. "Come on."

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**Any reviews? Please?**


	5. Camelot

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**As I promised, the new chapter is sooner than usually. It's still not much but I hope you'll like it.

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 5**

_**Camelot**_

The spring was seen in every corner of Camelot for a long time. Everyone, even the king Uther, enjoyed the warm days that were given from above. However there was one person who was very frustrated. It was prince Arthur. Every evening made him angry because the hope that had been born in the morning, was fading then.

The young man waited for his previous servant Merlin. The girl was meant to come back to Camelot in spring. The snow was gone for a long time so she should have been already by his side.

Arthur wondered, more and more often, why she hadn't come back yet. He started to think that Merlin hadn't left Camelot because of her mother, that she had run from something or someone.

These months without her were barely bearable for the prince. He missed her terribly and felt incomplete without her babbling, which used to seem be annoying. Arthur didn't want to admit it but he really felt safer when she was somewhere close. Just now he realised that Merlin was always by his side in the hardest moments. She was a wonder, a secret, and Arthur had already accepted it.

The prince couldn't stand that uncertainty any longer. He needed to know what was wrong and why Merlin wasn't coming back. He decided to go to Ealdor and ask her. There was no other chance to know the truth.

oOoOo

Arthur came into his chamber, exhausted after his training session. He got angry when he saw his temporary servant, Tom. The prince new that his manservant only did his job, however he couldn't help thinking that Merlin should have been waiting for him there. Tom wasn't a part of his life like Merlin was.

"Good afternoon, Sire," the boy said, bowing lightly. "Would you like to take a bath before the dinner with the king?" he asked politely.

Arthur swore silently. He forgot about the meal with his father. The prince had to convince the king to let him go for a few-days hunting trip. Of course Arthur wasn't going to hunt at all.

"Prepare that bathe, Tom," he said after a while.

"Of course, Sire."

The blonde wanted to kick his servant in his backside. He couldn't stand a _Sire _almost in every single sentence which left Tom's lips. He got used to Merlin's not caring about the titles. Arthur simply detested when his servant carried on calling him _Sire_. He couldn't help thinking that the others didn't see a human in him, that for them he was only a prince and not a living soul who also had some feelings.

When Arthur came into a bathtub, he felt some sort of relief. The water was pleasantly warm and it soothed his nerves. That warmth made him feel safe, almost like by Merlin's side.

The prince sighed heavily. He couldn't stop thinking about that girl even for a short while. She was always somewhere in his mind, even when he wasn't aware of that. Some simple thing was able to bring her face or her scent to Arthur. The prince knew that any peasant girl should have such an effect on him but it was already too late to stop that craziness. Besides Arthur felt that Merlin wasn't just a simple girl from a countryside. He had thought at the very beginning of their acquaintance that there was something about her. The time only proved that he wasn't wrong. The point, however, was that the young man still didn't know what it was. The girl was not perfect. She had lots of flaws and she wasn't the most beautiful girl that Arthur had ever seen. But her smile could light up whole Camelot. Her remarks were more like the advices from an old and experienced man. Merlin had just a spark inside of her and almost everybody adored her. Arthur used to see the way some of the knights looked at her. It had always made him angry.

"Sire, it's time for dinner." Tom's voice brought the prince back to the reality. He nodded more to himself than to his servant and grabbed the towel that the boy offered him.

oOoOo

Arthur took a seat by his father's side. Morgana was sitting opposite him and gave him a light smirk. The prince was late.

"We've been waiting for you, Arthur," the king said to his son. "Besides it's not the first time when you're late."

Some servant came up to the prince and poured his chalice with wine.

"Arthur is not himself for a few months," Morgana said quietly. "It's started in November, I guess..." she added innocently.

The blonde looked at her immediately and noticed that her right eyebrow was raised meaningfully. He hated when Morgana behaved this way, especially in front of his father.

"You're a good observer, Morgana," Uther noticed.

"I do my best," the woman said, smiling. "Arthur is dear to me and I'm just worried when his behaviour is strange."

"Would you stop talking about me as if I wasn't there?" the prince couldn't help asking. "I feel here like an air."

"Then you should tell us what's wrong," the king said. He was surprisingly charitable.

"Arthur, go on," Morgana tried to encourage him. She seemed to be very amused but that whole situation.

"I'm absolutely fine," the young man said shortly. "Can't you just forget about it? I was just late a few times. That's all!"

Uther seemed to be convinced. At least a little bit. "I think that you should just relax and everything will be as good as new."

Arthur decided to use his father's words. "I was thinking about it," he said plainly. "I wondered if I'm really needed here in Camelot. Maybe I would just go for a lonely, few-days hunting trip..." The prince looked carefully at his father.

Uther was remaining silent for a while, considering his son's words. He took a sip from his goblet and then glanced at Arthur. "I think that this kingdom can manage without your presence."

The fair haired man smiled with relief. "Thank you father," he mumbled.

oOoOo

"What were you thinking?" Arthur hissed when he and Morgana left the dining room.

The woman chuckled. "I thought that you said you're fine," she told him.

"And I am!" the prince said firmly.

"You don't look." Morgana smirked and then she sighed. "Do you really think that I'm blind and that I forgot about our conversation?" she asked and walked away.

oOoOo

There was one thing that Arthur needed to do before starting his journey. He had tried many times before but he'd never succeed. However his pride made him go to Gaius once again.

"Good evening, Sire," the old man greeted the future king. "Do you feel unwell?"

The blonde shook his head. "No, Gaius... I'm here because of Merlin."

The physician sighed lightly. "I've already told you, Sire, that I don't know why she hasn't come back yet. And I didn't get any note from her or her mother recently."

"I know that you're hiding something from me, Gaius," the prince said quite quietly. "But it doesn't matter." He looked directly into physician's light eyes. "I'll find out on my own... I'm going to Ealdor tomorrow."

Gaius' eyes widened. "Is it true, Sire?" he asked with disbelief.

"Yes, it is. There's nothing you can do to stop me," Arthur said firmly.

"Good," the old man told him shortly.

The prince was surprised hearing such a word. He thought that the physician would have been trying to stop him. However he seemed to be pleased.

"Good luck, Sire," Gaius added after a while.

Arthur was more and more confused. "Thank you," he spat up eventually. "Good night." Then he went out of physician's quarter.

When the door was closed behind the prince, Gaius smiled with relief. "Finally," he muttered to himself.

oOoOo

Arthur set out on a journey in the next morning. He left Camelot behind and felt incredibly good. He was a bit nervous but it didn't matter. He was going to see his friend soon. That was the most important.

The young man still remembered last Christmas. It was the worst time in that few months. He had felt very lonely. There had been no one who would have teased him about his Christmas robes. Besides Merlin always sent him a lovely smile when she got her present on Boxing Day. Last year there hadn't been any present and any smile.

"I coming to you," Arthur said to himself. "And I'll bring you back."

The prince had to spent the night in the forest. It was uncomfortable but he could stand much more for his lovely servant. He had never felt something like that to anybody. He didn't want to call that feeling. Arthur knew that it was too risky. However there was one thing that he just couldn't deny. The life with Merlin was difficult but life without her was much worse, even unimaginable.

At night the fair haired man had strange dreams. He heard Merlin's voice but couldn't see her face. Besides the girl's words didn't make sense. They were more like shreds of some random sentences. Arthur didn't know if it was a good or a bad sign.

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**I 'm cruel, aren't I? You know what? I sometimes love being cruel! ^-^**


	6. Wind of change

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**You know what? There's only one chapter left after this one. Maybe I'll write a short epilogue too. Well... we'll see. Now just enjoy!

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 6**

_**Wind of change**_

Arthur got out of the forest and looked around. His heart started beating faster. He recognised the view. The cottages looked just like before. In places such as Ealdor time was passing slower.

The prince was very nervous. However he wasn't going to prolong the uncertainty any longer. He was also very excited. He and Merlin didn't see each other for a few months. For the other people it probably didn't seem to be a very long time, but for Arthur it was. He wasn't sure how she would react, how he himself would. However it was not time for guessing. The blonde was going to find out the truth soon.

A few people glanced at him oddly but none of them said anything. Arthur wasn't sure if they recognised him but it didn't matter. He already saw Hunith's hut and quickened his pace.

When Arthur stood in front of the right door, he hesitated. He wasn't sure what to say at the beginning. It all depended on who would open the door.

Eventually the prince thought that he was going to be a king one day, so he had to be brave. The young man clenched his fist and knocked. He was ready for everything. At least he hoped so.

"I'm coming." Arthur heard Hunith's voice and her footsteps. In a few seconds he saw Merlin's mother in front of himself.

The woman opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She was truly shocked. After a while of complete silence she smiled lightly and whispered, "Arthur."

The prince returned shy smile. "Hello Hunith," he said slowly.

Hunith moved slightly, letting him in. The young man was glad that she didn't ask any stupid and unnecessary questions. It was obvious why he was there.

Arthur went into the room which was meant to be the kitchen. He remembered that place quite well. He hadn't been here long but it was Merlin's house, and somehow everything what had something in common with her had a special place in his mind.

The prince looked around, searching for any sign of his friend.

"Merlin has gone for a walk with our neighbour, Marianne," Hunith told him. "But she'll come back soon." The woman didn't add that her daughter couldn't walk too long because of her state.

Arthur nodded and remained silent. However it didn't last long. "Why didn't she come back to Camelot?" he asked suddenly.

Hunith sighed heavily. "I'm not the person who should answer that question," she said. "You need to wait."

The man didn't look pleased. "I try to understand... but I cannot! I need to know the truth..."

"I'm glad that you've come here, Arthur," Hunith told him. "Now I know that I wasn't wrong."

"What do you mean?" Arthur didn't try to hide his confusion.

"It doesn't matter," she assured him. "Just... be patient. My daughter needs you, even though she doesn't want to admit it."

"Hunith, what happened?" the prince asked. "Whatever it is, I'll try to help her," he promised.

"I think you'll need help first," the woman said mysteriously, making Arthur frown. "You both need to discuss some things... But promise me that you won't do anything in rush."

Arthur kept silent. He didn't know what was happening around him. It all was so strange. He only hoped that Merlin would explain him everything.

Suddenly Hunith turned his head and looked at the door. She seemed to be very tense. "She's coming," the woman said silently.

The young man wanted to run to the door but Hunith's glance stopped him. She, instead of him, moved towards the door.

"Mother?" Arthur heard his friend's surprised voice but he couldn't see her.

"Someone's waiting for you," Hunith said quite calmly. "I won't disturb you."

"Who?" The girl looked above her mother's shoulder and her eyes widened immediately.

"You need to talk," Hunith told her daughter.

The witch shook her head. She tried to go away but Hunith grabbed her wrist.

"Merlin..." Arthur spoke up.

The girl's mother nodded and the sorceress knew that she had to stay.

"Good luck," Hunith whispered into her daughter's ear and went outside, leaving the pair alone and revealing Merlin's tummy.

Arthur wanted to ask so many questions but when he saw the state of the young woman, he turned speechless.

Merlin tried to avoid eye contact but eventually their eyes met.

"Are you happy now?" the girl asked a bit bitterly. "Now you finally know why I haven't come back... why I left Camelot at the first place."

The prince needed to take a deep breath. "Who... who did that to you?" he asked slowly, feeling as rage grew in him.

"And who do you think?" Merlin got misty-eyed. She felt really humiliated.

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask." Arthur moved towards her but she stepped back immediately.

The girl started trembling. "I always knew you were a prat but I never thought that you would be so heartless... Even then..."

"What do you mean?" The blonde was frustrated. "And who the hell did this to you?"

"You did it!" Merlin cried out. "I could stand the words that your bloody honour had suffered... I could stand that humiliation... But now you pretend that nothing..." Her voice finally cracked.

"I...?" Arthur asked weakly. "What are you talking about? I've never... We've never..."

Merlin looked at him sadly. "Why are you doing this? I don't want anything from you!"

"I don't remember anything!" the man said quite firmly. "Did I really...?"

The witch felt dizzy. She wasn't sure if she could trust him. However Arthur looked so confused. She noticed sorrow and disbelieving in his eyes.

"When?" he asked shortly.

"In August..." Merlin whispered weakly. She was in daze so she took a seat on the nearest chair. It all was too much for such a young girl. "After a feast."

"I had to drink too much..." Arthur said after a while. "I don't remember anything."

Tears started running down Merlin's cheeks. "I don't understand one thing..." she whispered. "You told me after that night that it shouldn't have happened... that your pride had suffered..."

Arthur closed his eyes. "I meant my behaviour," he mumbled. "You had to deal with me when I was so drunk. I wasn't sure what I was doing, so I just tried to say sorry for whatever it was..."

Merlin buried her face in her hands. "I thought you meant me... I thought that your pride had suffered because you had slept with a peasant girl."

Just when the girl said that words, Arthur understood what she had to go through. At least he thought that he understood.

"I would never say such a thing," the prince whispered timidly. He felt that it was true. He liked her more than anyone. He secretly adored her. Perhaps it all was more than liking and adoring. "I don't know how it happened..." Arthur continued after a while. "That news is quite shocking to me but I'm not a coward. I just... I need to know one thing." He hesitated. It was going to be probably one of the most difficult questions in his life but he needed to know the truth. "Was it...?" Arthur had to take a very deep breath. "Did I rape you?"

"No..." The word was followed by a slight shake of girl's head.

Arthur felt some sort of relief. At least he wasn't such a bastard as he had feared. The blonde probably was supposed to ask how it all had happened but he knew that other questions could wait. Now he had to focus on the present.

The man came closer to the weeping girl. He wanted to comfort her somehow but he had no experience in such things.

"I'll take care of you now," he said softly. "You and our child." For the first time he called the baby that Merlin was carrying under her heart.

The girl suddenly shook her head. "No, you can't!" she cried helplessly.

"What are you talking about?" The blonde frowned. "I can and I will," he said firmly.

"You don't understand..." the young woman whispered. "The baby is going to be just like me."

Arthur smiled at her softly. "Is it so bad?" he asked. "Everyone has some flaws. Even I do," the man admitted, what was quite surprising.

Merlin laughed hysterically. "You don't know who I really am," she said slowly. "I won't let them hurt my baby."

The prince felt more and more confused. "I won't let anybody put a finger on our child. I'll protect it with my life," he promised.

"I'm not sure you'll want to," Merlin mumbled bitterly and before Arthur could deny, her eyes shone with magic.

The man stared at her. He felt hundreds of various things at the same time but he couldn't call any of them.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But I was born like this..."

Arthur shook his head. "It's impossible!" he shouted. "How could you? I... I trusted you!"

The girl looked at him icily. "I have never hurt you or Camelot... But you, of course, know better." She closed her eyes. "Ealdor does not belong to your kingdom. Come back to your place and leave me at peace." Then she dared to open her eyes. They were golden this time, not blue. "I won't let you hurt my child."

The prince took a short look at Merlin's tummy. Then he glanced at her face again and slowly nodded.

"I don't want to see you again," the witch said, even though she didn't mean that. She hated herself for keeping on loving him so much.

Arthur moved towards the door. Just before he went outside he dared to speak. "I would never hurt my child."

oOoOo

Hunith saw as Arthur was leaving the village, so she ran back to her daughter quickly. When the woman saw her girl, all trembling with red and puffy eyes, she could do only one thing.

Merlin felt warm embrace of her mother and melted into it.

"I told him about my magic," she whispered.

"Oh, Merlin..." Hunith didn't ask any questions. They were needless.

Abruptly Merlin felt the kick of her child. However she didn't mind it. The girl had felt it many times before. She couldn't know that the world was going to have a new dweller very soon.

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**I hope you liked it. And please, don't be angry with me. I had to finish the chapter!**


	7. Corner of your heart

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**It is the last chapter. However I decided to write an epilogue too. I hope you'll enjoy!

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„**Corner of your heart"**

**Chapter 7**

_**Corner of your heart**_

Arthur was lying on the ground, staring up at the sky which was partially blocked out by trees' branches. It was already night and he didn't move too far from Ealdor. Somehow he couldn't. The man was only able to look at the stars, wondering.

He thought about Merlin and their child. He thought about girl's magic and all the words that he had heard from his father. The prince was taught that magic was evil and everybody who dared to practise it was worth nothing more than a worm. That words were very strong and somewhere deep inside Arthur felt that they weren't fair. He tried very hard but he couldn't find anything evil in Merlin. She was lovely and cheerful as well as compassionate. Besides she was a mother of his child. Evil just didn't suit that girl.

"Damn!" Arthur swore to himself. He hated being confused. His heart belonged to Merlin and their child while his common sense reminded him Uther's words. Life was complicated.

oOoOo

Merlin was lying on the floor, thinking that this nightmare wasn't going to come to an end. She had been in labour for a few hours. Hunith and Marianne were by her side all the time and she really appreciated their help but still she felt a bit lonely. She was giving birth to a child who wasn't going to have a father. Besides that child was going to grow in the world where people were suspicious about magic.

The witch was truly worried. She didn't want difficult life for that little human being. However Merlin knew very well that easy life wasn't predicted neither for herself nor for her child.

"Be brave," Hunith said to her daughter. "It's all going to be finished soon."

Marianne confirmed woman's words but it didn't help Merlin. She felt that it was never going to end. The physical pain was mixed with sorrow and uncertainty.

When the hope almost faded completely, baby's cry pierced the room.

"It's a girl," Marianne said cheerfully to Merlin, while Hunuith was speechless, looking at her granddaughter.

"Give her to me," the sorceress begged weakly. "Show me my daughter."

Hunith put the baby on Merlin's chest. When the little girl heard her mother's heart-beating, she recognised it and stopped crying.

"She's beautiful..." Marianne whispered timidly.

Merlin looked into her daughter's blue eyes. They were shaped just like hers. The girl had fair hair. Besides the shape of her nose was very familiar to the young prince. There was no doubts that it was Arthur's child. "Yes, she is," Merlin agreed softly. She completely forgot about the pain and worries. Now she had her little treasure.

"Have you chosen the name?" Marianne asked suddenly.

For the first time the witch turned her gaze away from the child. She nodded lightly and smiled. "It's Lillianne... my Lilly."

oOoOo

It was quite cold outside, so Arthur lit the fire. He looked calmed but he wasn't cool at all.

The man was watching the hot flames, looking for any solution. He wanted to see a sign, something what would have helped him make up his mind. However the world was silent. The fate wanted him to decide on his own.

Arthur tried very hard to put his thoughts and some facts in the right place of his mind. In the morning he had hoped that he would have taken Merlin back to Camelot. Now he was sitting alone in the forest, knowing that he was going to be a father and that the girl that he cared about was a sorceress.

The prince knew that he should have come back to his kingdom and forgotten. Merlin made it clear that she didn't want to see him ever again. Moreover, if he had wanted to be absolutely loyal to his father, he should have gone to the witch and killed her. But he had known from the very first second when he'd found out that he wouldn't have.

"I cannot be loyal to my father," he murmured to himself a bit angrily. "Then why I can't...?" The prince didn't want to say it out loud. If he had, he would have been already defeated.

Arthur buried his head in hands, thinking very intensively. He had to forget about his pride and see through his heart. It was quite difficult for such a spoilt brat, as Arthur started to call himself.

Suddenly the young man felt naked. He saw the truth in his heart and finally knew what to do.

Arthur stood up, smiling cheerfully. He put the fire out without a second of thought. "I'm coming to you, Merlin!" he screamed. He wanted the world to know that.

oOoOo

Little Lilly was sleeping by her mother's side. They both occupied Hunith's bed. It was bigger and more appropriate for mother and child than Merlin's bedding.

"Are you feeling well?" Hunith asked her daughter.

The girl nodded lightly, even though she was aching a bit.

"I'll see Marianne off and help her have dinner, if you don't mind," the woman said quietly. "Lilly is sleeping and she shouldn't wake up while I'm gone."

"Mother." Merlin couldn't help rolling her eyes. "We'll be fine. Marianne helped us a lot and I'd like to repay her."

"That's nothing," the younger girl assured her. "I'm glad I could help."

"You're too nice." The witch gave her a lovely smile. "I'll never forget your kindness. But now you should go. Both of you." She glanced at her mother. "I can take care of myself and my child. Besides... what can happen to me at my own house?"

Hunith seemed to be convinced. After all she knew that her daughter could defend herself if it was necessary.

She and Marianne left Merlin with her baby. Mother and daughter were supposed to spend some time alone to deepen their bond.

oOoOo

Some hooded woman was walking slowly towards Hunith's house. Nobody saw her. She moved very silently and gracefully.

There was something strange in the way she walked. The truth was that she was excited. Something what she had been waiting for so long was going to happen soon.

The woman didn't knock on the door. She opened it as quietly as she could. Her magic made these things easier.

She didn't need eyes to find Merlin. She felt girl's and child's magic. Those powers were very similar. It was clear that they belonged to mother and daughter.

The mysterious witch came into the room where Merlin and baby were cuddled together.

The young mother felt the presence of other person and looked up immediately. Her blue eyes widened when they met the brown ones.

"Morgause..." she whispered. She knew that whatever the other woman wanted, it couldn't mean anything good.

Merlin wanted to do something, to cast a spell which could protect Lilly. However she was not able to. Suddenly the girl felt impossibly weak. She couldn't even move. It was frightening.

"Finally." The fair haired sorceress smirked evilly. "I was looking for that famous Emrys so long. When I've found out that it was you, I was truly shocked," she whispered. "And then I thought that I could make a use of it. You, after all, were really close to Uther's son."

Abruptly Morgause came up to the bed and glanced at the little girl.

"What do you want from us?" Merlin asked weakly.

"Not much..." The blonde laughed lightly but it made the young girl shiver. "I only want her. She is a fruit of yours and Arthur's affection. She's a part of both of you."

Merlin turned pale. "How can you know this?"

"There are some prophecies." Morgause looked directly into girl's eyes. "Do you know how powerful that child is going to be? She's a daughter of a great sorceress called Emrys and the brave, future king of Camelot. She's his heir. She's going to have a right to the throne."

"Leave my Lilly alone," Merlin whispered pleadingly.

"So that's her name." The woman smiled. "It's nice... You can be sure that I'll take care of our dear Lilly. Now I'm going to be a mother to her. And one day we're going to rule all this land!"

The girl felt sick. She hoped that it was not true, that she could wake up from that nightmare. But it all was real.

oOoOo

Arthur had come inside the house soon after Morgause. He felt that something was wrong. When he heard the voice of older woman, he recognised it immediately. The young man felt the rage. He wanted to run into the room and kill the evil witch. She was a threat to his family. However he was aware that his snap action could only make things worse.

When the man heard that he had a daughter, something melted in his heart. Then he found out that her name was Lilly. He felt even more protective. It all was happening so fast. The prince didn't know what to do. He could only wait for the right moment to get involved into the whole situation.

To feel better, Arthur grasped his sword firmly. He knew that magic, especially in hands of such a person as Morgause, was tricky and his sword couldn't be enough to fight it. Anyway that weapon was better than nothing.

The prince didn't see too much but he understood that Morgause did something to Merlin. The witch felt unpunished. She wanted to take Lilly away and turn her against her parents.

Although Arthur didn't like the idea of Merlin having magic, he deeply regretted that the girl couldn't use her powers now. It would have made things easier. In that moment the future of their daughter rested only on his shoulders.

He tried to perk his strategic mind up but it didn't work in the way he wanted to. The man had never felt so helpless in his entire life.

oOoOo

Lilly opened her small eyes and looked directly at Morgause. None of the sorceresses knew why the little girl started crying. Maybe it was a normal cry of the hungry baby. Maybe she felt that something was wrong, that she was in some sort of danger. It was really hard to say.

Morgause lifted the girl and examined her tiny body. The witch didn't seem to care about baby's cries. "You'll be a great sorceress," the fair haired woman said quietly. "Thanks to me you'll have a bright future."

"You can't do this!" Merlin moaned helplessly.

Morgause burst into laughter. "You're becoming pathetic. The only reason I'm still here is that I want to torment you a while longer."

The older witch was so absorbed by talking that she didn't notice a slight move behind her back. However Merlin did. Her heart quickened when she saw Arthur but she didn't show any emotions. The girl didn't know why the prince came back but she was glad that he did. The young man was their only hope.

Arthur was moving carefully. He was aware that his smallest mistake could ruin everything.

The prince knew what he had to do. He was only worried about Lilly. He didn't want to bring her any pain. That what Arthur was going to do was quite risky but he had to take risks.

Abruptly Lilly stopped crying and then Morgause fell silent too. Merlin held her breath. Arthur understood that he had to act fact, otherwise everything was lost.

In the moment when the light haired witch turned her head to look behind, the prince plunged the blade of his sword into her flesh.

Morgause had no time to react. She turned pale at once and groaned in pain.

Then Merlin felt that she could move. The spell that Morgause had put on her was finally broken.

The girl didn't need to think what to do. Her eyes turned gold instinctively and she preserved her daughter from fall.

Lilly was floating in the air, not aware of things which just happened.

Merlin ran to her daughter, not caring about Morgause's dead flesh that was lying on the floor. The girl pulled Lilly and hugged her tightly. Now she knew that her child was safe.

Arthur was silent all that time. He didn't want to interrupt them in such an affectionate moment.

Then Merlin looked up and her eyes met his. She smiled at him timidly. "You've saved her," the witch whispered.

"She's my daughter," Arthur mumbled. He didn't really know what to say. Too many important things had happened in short time.

"You've come back," Merlin added after a while. "Why?"

The prince didn't want to answer that question. It was way too complicated.

They both remained silent. It started to be annoying. Lilly had to feel a tension in the room, children can feel such things after all, because her small eyes flashed gold and her magic pulled her parents closer.

"Has she just...?" Arthur murmured hesitantly.

"It seems so," Merlin said smiling lovingly at her daughter. "I think she needs two parents." Then she looked at the prince shyly. There was a hope in her eyes.

Arthur couldn't help embracing his girls. "I want you to come back with me to Camelot," he whispered.

"But..."

"Let me finish first," the blonde asked her. "I'll take care of you... both of you." He bowed down and kissed Lilly's small forehead. "I will never let anybody hurt you. I promise."

"It's not that easy," Merlin said sadly.

"Of course it's not," Arthur agreed. "However I need to have you two close."

"What's about your father?" the sorceress asked finally.

A shadow appeared on prince's perfect but tired face. "I'm not sure... I don't think I can tell him that we've got a baby. Not yet."

Merlin nodded knowingly and sighed.

"Nobody needs to know who's a father of Lilly. We know and she does," he continued. "That's enough."

"People will talk," the girl reminded him.

"Do you care about people's talking?" Arthur asked.

"I don't care what they talk about me... but Lilly looks like you. I don't want to spoil your reputation."

"Don't worry about me," the man said quietly.

"I do it all the time," Merlin admitted.

"One day they all will know the truth." Arthur sighed lightly. "And one day you and our daughter will not have to pretend and hide your abilities," he promised.

"Really?" Merlin had tears in her eyes.

Arthur nodded and kissed her softly but still a bit teasingly. "Really."

Hunith went into the room and saw them, not even noticing Morgause's body. They created a perfect family.

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**That's all. Well... Maybe not all. The epilogue is still left.**

**Don't worry. I started writing the next story (this time slash one). I should publish the first chapter soon. :)  
**


	8. Epilogue

**Author: LadyFromPoland**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Merlin". It is a TV show which belongs to BBC.**

**English is not my mother language.

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**So this is the end, girls! It's time for the epilogue.

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„**Corner of your heart"**

_**Epilogue**_

After seven years from the day when Merlin and Arthur had decided to give each other a chance, Uther's reign came to an end. His hatred for magic lost him completely. The king had been obstinate until the very end and never dared to say that he had been mistaken. Although it was as clear as day.

That seven years taught Merlin and Arthur to be together. They had been hiding their feelings from the world but it only deepened the love that they shared.

People talked but it was not a surprise. People, after all, always talk. There were rumours about Merlin and her daughter. Some of Camelot's inhabitants noticed that Lilly's hair looked just like prince's. Besides there was something else about her, something what the older ones had seen in the child that Arthur used to be.

There was also the other evidence. When Merlin had come back to Camelot with Lilly, she had become prince's maidservant again. She often took a little girl to work and Arthur didn't seem to mind it. Moreover, he cared for his servant's daughter very deeply.

The other thing was that Lilly started to call the prince "daddy". Merlin tried to persuade her to not call him that when there were others around. However it didn't always work. After all Lilly was just a child. The little girl had even used the word "daddy" a few times when Uther had been within a sight. If he had heard something, he hadn't showed it. Perhaps the king preferred not to know the truth. Maybe he hadn't been as bad as people sometimes thought.

Luckily Merlin and Arthur were able to hide Lilly's gift. The mother often used her own powers to retain her daughter's. The father kept an eye on the girl when Merlin couldn't and, when it was necessary, he took her away from people. It somehow worked.

When Arthur took his rightful place on the throne, the first thing that he did was announcing the permission for using magic. Then he pronounced Merlin the Court Sorceress, who was meant to be the protector and expert in case of magic. The king also openly said that he had a daughter, the princess Lillianne, and that her mother was going to become his queen soon.

People were quite shocked by the news. Nevertheless some of them could not help saying all around that they always felt that Lilly was Arthur's daughter.

Magic was no longer banned. People who had a gift didn't have to worry any more. They were free to practice it, if they didn't hurt anyone by their actions. Of course not everybody used the powers in a good way. Luckily Merlin kept an eye on the whole situation. She was Emrys and that name commanded respect between sorcerers.

oOoOo

"You are finally my wife," Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear, making the woman shiver. "I've been waiting for that day so long."

"Me too..." the new queen said softly. "Do you know that now the destiny of that kingdom rests on our both shoulders officially?"

"Is it important in that moment?" the king asked.

"Arthur!" Merlin reprimanded her husband. "How can you say that? The Albion... People... Lilly..."

"I know, sweetheart." The blonde sighed. "But it's night and we've just married," he murmured.

The sorceress looked up at him and started laughing. Arthur was right. They could start to worry in the morning. Now they had time for each other.

Everything was going to be well.

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**Review? :)**


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